Fine Art, Gallery & Museum Movers in Ottawa
Moving art, a collection, or gallery pieces? Get a written, no-surprises quote from a licensed & insured Ottawa crew that builds custom crates and handles every piece white-glove.
Men In Trucks Moving Inc. moves fine art, sculptures, antiques and full collections across Ottawa and the region — with custom-built crates, blanket-wrap and white-glove handling. In a city built around the National Gallery, the Museum of History and a deep gallery and private-collector scene, moving art is its own discipline: protection, planning and accountability, not just muscle. We’re owner-operated (since 2010), run our own crews, and insure every load. Talk to a real person at 613-800-0917 or [email protected].
Who we move fine art for in Ottawa
- Private collectors relocating or consolidating a collection.
- Galleries and dealers — inventory moves, show turnovers, client deliveries.
- Corporate and office art collections — lobby pieces, boardroom art, sculpture.
- Estates and downsizing — heirloom paintings, antiques and fragile family pieces.
- Museums, institutions and exhibitions — careful de-install, transport and install of individual works and small collections.
- Interior designers and stagers placing art in Ottawa homes and offices.
Custom crating and protection
This is what separates an art move from a furniture move. Depending on the piece and its value, we protect it with:
- Custom-built wooden crates sized to the individual work, for pieces that need real structural protection in transit.
- Blanket-wrap, corner and edge protection for framed works, with soft interleaving against surfaces.
- Mirror and picture cartons, foam and cushioning for glass, framed art and delicate panels.
- Proper strapping and load securing so nothing shifts on the road, with art kept upright and separated.
What we handle
- Paintings and framed works — from a single canvas to a full wall of a collection.
- Sculptures and statuary — freestanding and pedestal pieces, including heavy, awkward forms.
- Antiques and heirlooms — cabinets, clocks and fragile period furniture.
- Mirrors, glass and display cases — crated or carton-protected.
- Pedestals, plinths and pianos — see our piano movers and heavy-item movers for the heaviest specialty pieces.
Gallery, museum and exhibition moves
For galleries and institutions, an art move is usually a sequence: careful de-install, protective packing or crating, transport, and install at the destination — coordinated around curator and gallery schedules, loading-dock windows and elevator access. We plan the route through the building in advance, protect doorways and floors on both ends, and keep an orderly, piece-by-piece process so every work is accounted for. For local and regional Ottawa-area moves this is squarely what we do; for major long-haul or international institutional logistics, tell us the scope up front and we’ll be straight about what we can take on.
Have a piece you’re worried about? Send us photos and we’ll tell you exactly how we’d crate, protect and move it — with a written quote before anything is booked.
Insured, and accountable start to finish
Every move is handled by our own crews — never a subcontractor takeover — and our company carries liability and cargo coverage, documented on site at pickup and delivery. For high-value pieces we’ll talk through the protection and coverage that applies before we book, in plain language. If a work is truly irreplaceable, tell us and we’ll plan around that from the first call.
How fine-art moves are priced
Art moves are quoted after an assessment rather than by a flat hourly rate, because the price depends on the pieces, their value and size, the crating required, and access at both ends. Tell us what you have — or send photos — and we’ll give a clear, written quote before move day, with no surprise charges.
Frequently asked questions — fine art & museum moving in Ottawa
Do you build custom crates for artwork?
Yes. For pieces that need real structural protection we build custom wooden crates sized to the individual work; lower-risk pieces are protected with blanket-wrap, corner protection and picture cartons.
Can you move large sculptures and statues?
Yes. Freestanding and pedestal sculptures — including heavy and awkward forms — are part of our specialty work, with the right crew size and equipment to handle them safely.
Can you handle a gallery or museum de-install and install?
Yes, for local and regional Ottawa-area moves: we de-install, protect or crate, transport, and install, coordinated around your schedule and the building’s access. For major long-haul or international institutional logistics, tell us the scope and we’ll be honest about what we can take on.
Are you insured for valuable art?
Our company carries liability and cargo coverage, documented at pickup and delivery. For high-value pieces we’ll go through the protection and coverage that applies before booking, in plain language.
Do you move antiques and heirlooms?
Yes — antique cabinets, clocks, mirrors and fragile period pieces are handled with the same crating and white-glove care as fine art.
How do you price an art move?
By assessment, not a flat hourly rate. Send photos or a list, and we’ll give a written quote based on the pieces, crating and access before move day.
